Rail joint or coupling



(No Model.) y 2 sheetssheet 1.

J. G. MILLE-R. -RAIL JOINT 0R COUPLING.

No. 516,870.. Patented Mm?. 2o, 1894.V

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(No Model.) 2 sheets-Shet.

J. G. MILLER.

RAIL JOINT 0R COUPLING.

No. 516,870. Patented Mar. 20, 18,94. 7. r

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' UNITED 'STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JAMES G. MILLER, OF YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO.

RAIL JOINT OR COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 516,870, dated March20, 1894.

Application tiled August 26, 1893. Serial No. l84.136. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES G. MILLER, of Youngstown, in the county ofMahoning and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Rail Joints or Ocuplings; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the Invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains tomake and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in rail-joints or couplings, theobject being to provide a joint or coupling that will automaticallyclamp the rails when the rollingstock passes over the meeting ends ofthe rails; wherein no nuts or bolts are required; that is more durableand efficient than the joints or couplings heretofore devised; that isexceedingly simple in construction and well adapted kfor use on curvesin the track, and that cannot easily be tampered with.

With this object in view, my invention consists in certain features ofconstruction and in combinations of parts hereinafter described andpointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of arail-joint or coupling embodying my invention, showing two contiguous orabutting rails joined or coupled together. Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe same. Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sections on lines 3 3, and 4-4,respectively, Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the plate Odetached. Fig. 6 is a transverse section,

showing the manner of assembling the parts in applying my improved jointor coupling.

Referring to the drawings, A A represent the contiguous or abuttingend-portions of two rails. A pair of jaws B are adapted to clamp or biteopposite sides of the rails, respectively, at the meeting ends of therails. Said jaws nicely t between the head and base of `the rails andare fulcrumed, as at h, upon cylindrical portions or bearings C rigidand preferably integral with a plate O that iits nicely between a pairof ties T at the railjoint or coupling, to which,ties the rails arespiked, as atll", in the usual manner. Said jaws extend through slots C2in plate O and, below the axis of their fulcrums are provided,respectively, with an inwardly-projecting 4 flange, B. Flanges B supportblocks D that extend upwardly through slots (12in-plate O, and themeeting ends of the rails rest upon lblocks D, as shown in Fig. 3.Blocks D, at

their inner ends are provided, respectively, with a depending flange, d,that, on its inner side, tapers inwardly toward its lower end, as at d',and engages the correspondingly downwardly and inwardly tapering orbeveled edge b of flange B of the respective clamping-jaw. Blocks D arealso preferably beveled or tapering downwardly and inwardly at theirouter end, as at D2, where they engage, respectively, thecorrespondingly inwardly and downwardly tapering or beveled portion B2of the adjacent clamping-jaw. The arrangement of parts is preferablysuch that in their normal position, shownV in solid lines, Fig. 3, theclamping-jaws do not clamp the web of the rails, and the top surface ofblocks D is somewhat above the topsurface of plate O, leaving a space,S, between said plate and the base of the rails. It will, however, beobserved that as the rolling-stock comes on the meeting ends of therails, it depresses said ends of the rails, and the head of the railsacting upon the top edge of the jaws and the base of the rails actingupon block D that in turn act upon the inwardly-projecting flanges B andupon portions B2 of the jaws, causes the jaws to be swung or actuatedupon their fulcrum in the direction to tightly clamp or bite the rails,as shown in dotted lines Fig. 3, the space between the base of the railsand plate C accommodating the depression of the rails. The clamping-jawsare fulcrumed upon the cylindrical bearings C of the plate in such amanner as to support said plate, the jaws having preferably,respectively, a semi-cylindrical recess B3 embracing the inner side ofthe respective bearing.

To enable the parts of the rail-joint or coupling to roll or turn uponone another in the assemblage or separation of the partsv the faces ofthe jaws at the top and lower edges of the same are rounded, as at B4,inwardlyprojecting anges B of the jaws are rounded at the top of theiredge, as at h2, and blocks D are rounded, as shown, where they engagethe rounded portions h2 of the flanges B of the jaws, and are roundednext adjacent to IOO the inner ends of said iianges as at d2 and arealso rounded at the top of their inner edge, as at d3.

In assembling the parts the jaw and block at one side of the rails areplaced in position relative to the rail, as shown in Fig. 6, whereuponthe jaw at the opposite side of the rails, and block D supported by saidjaw, are placed imposition to cause thejaw to be supported by the rail.The parts are then pressed together into proper position relative toeach other, the rail being sprung laterally in assembling the parts. Inseparating the parts the rails are also sprung laterally to loosen theone jaw,

whereupon the parts of the rail-joint or coupling are readily separated,the jaws being preferably somewhat cut away adjacent to the outerportion of the top surface of the base of the rails, as at B5, tofacilitate the loosening and consequent disconnection of the parts. But,of course, the rails cannot be sprung laterally as required to separatethe parts without irst removing the rail-fastening spikes for a numberof ties from each end of the rail-joint or coupling, a matter of noinconsiderable importance,when it is considered that a tramp ortrain-wrecker would hardly feel disposed to go to the trouble ofunspiking the rails to such an extent as would render the rails capableof being sprung laterally sufficiently to separate the parts of therail-joint or coupling. Furthermore, I prefer to locate another pair ofclamping-jaws E and blocks G a suitable distance from the ends of, butsubstantially the same in construction as, jaws B and blocks D, jaws Ebeing fnlcrumed, in the same manner as jaws B upon bearings C thatextend from end to end of plate C as shown in Figs. l and 2, and plate Cbeing-provided with slots C3 to accommodate the location and operationof jaws E and blocks G. In the case of jaws E, however, I would remarkthat they preferably engage corresponding recesses, a, provided in thebase of the rails, as shown in dotted lines, Figs. 1 and 4, the objectbeing to counteract any tendency of the rails to contract or expand orseparate. Especially is this feature of vast importance on inclines.Slots C2 and C3 in plate C are preferably just large enough toaccommodate the location and operation of blocks D and G and theclamping-jaws, so that said parts cannot possibly become displaced.

1. In a rail-joint or coupling, the combination with the rails and oneor more pairs of jaws pivotally supported at opposite sides of therails, respectively, said jaws fitting between the head and base of therails, and having an inwardly-projecting flange, respectively, of blocksor pieces resting upon said anges and engaging the lower side of thebase of the rails, the arrangement of parts being such that thedepression of the rails by the weight of the rolling-stock passing overthem shall depress the aforesaid blocks or pieces and thereby actuatethe clamping-jaws in the direction to clamp or bite the rails,substantially as set forth.

2. In a rail-joint or coupling, the combination with the meeting orcontiguous ends of the rails, of a pair of clamping-jaws pivotallysupported at opposite sides of the rails, respectively, said jawsengaging the head and base of the rails and having an inwardly-projecting flange, respectively, projecting `u nder the base of the rails,and blocks or pieces resting upon said flanges of the jaws and engagingthe under side ot' the base of the rails, said blocks or pieces, attheir inner end, having a depending flange, respectively, tapering orbeveled inwardly toward its lower end and engaging the correspondinglybeveled edge of the flange of the respective clamp ing-jaw, thearrangement of parts belngsubstantially as shown, for the purposespecified.

3. In a rail-joint or coupling, the colnbina tion with the meeting orcontiguous ends of the rails and a pair of jaws pivotally supported atopposite sides of the rails, respectively, said jaws nicely littingbetween the head and base of the rails and having, respectively, aninwardly projecting flange extending under the base of the rails andbeveled downwardly and inwardly at its edge, the jaws being alsosimilarly beveled immediately above the inner end of said inwardlyprojecting flanges, of blocks or pieces resting upon said flanges of thejaws and beveled at their outer end to engage the beveled portion of theclamping-jaws at the inner end of the anges, said blocks or members, attheir inner end, having, respectively, a depending flange beveled on itsouter side to engage the beveled edge of the ange of the respectlveclamping-jaw, the arrangement of parts being substantially as shown, forthe purpose specified.

4t. In a rail-joint or coupling, the combination with the rails, of aplate, C, located a suitable distance below the base of the rails, oneor more pairs of clamping-jaws located at opposite sides of the rails,respectively, and fulcrumed upon the aforesaid plate in such a manner asto support the plate, said jaws engaging the opposing sides of the headand base of the rails, and having inwardly-proj ecting nanges in underthe aforesaid plate, and blocks or pieces resting upon said iianges andengaging the under side of the base of the rails, the arrangement ofparts being substantially as described, and the aforesaid plate beingslotted to accommodate the location and operation of the clamping-jawsand blocks or pieces supported thereby, substantially as described.

5. In a rail-joint or coupling, the combination with the rails, of aplate C located a suit able distance below the base of the rails, one ormore pairs of clamping-jaws at opposite sides of the rails,respectively, and fulcrumed upon the aforesaid plate in such a manner asto support the plate, said jaws engaging the opposing sides of the headand base of the IOO IIC

rails and having inwardly-projecting anges in under the aforesaid plateand below the axis of the pivotal bearing of said jaws, blocks or piecesresting upon said fianges and engaging the under side of the base of therails, the parts being suitably rounded at the points where they turn orroll upon one another in assembling or separating them, the jaws beingshaped to form a suitable space between the outer portion of the topside of the base of the rails and the adjacent portion of the jaws,substantially as set forth.

6. In a rail-joint or coupling, the combination with the rails and pairof rail-supportingties at the meeting or contiguous ends of the rails,of a plate, C, nicely fitting between said ties, and located a suitabledistance below the base of the rails, one or more pairs of clamping-jawsat opposite sides of the rails, respectively, and fulcrumed upon theaforesaid plate in such a manner as to support the plate, said jawsengaging the opposing sides of the head and base of the rails and havinginwardlyprojecting flanges in under the aforesaid plate, and blocks orpieces resting upon said flanges and engaging the under side of the baseof the rails, the arrangement of parts being substantially as describedand the aforesaid plate being slotted to just accommodate the locationand operation of the clampingjaws and blocks or members supportedthereby, substantially as set forth.

7. In a rail-joint or coupling, the combination with the rails, of aplate C located a suitable distance below the base of the rails, two ormore pairs of clamping-jaws at opposite sides of the rails,respectively, and fulcrumed upon the aforesaid plate in such a manner asto support the plate, said jaws engaging the opposing sides of the headandbase of the rail and having inwardly-projecting flanges in under theaforesaid plate, and blocks or pieces resting upon said flanges andengaging the under side of the base of therails, the jaws and blocks ormembers being suitably shaped to nicely operate, the arrangement ofparts being substantially as described, and one or more of the pairs ofjaws engaging recesses in the base of the adjacent rail or rails,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification, in the presence of twowitnesses, this 25th day of July, 1893.

JAMES Gr. MILLER.

